Budget discussions start in Lehi

Nichole Coombs | Lehi Free Press

The Lehi City Council has started working on Mayor Paul Binns’ proposed budget.
Binns’ tentative budget includes a tax increase, which will generate an additional $1,729,474 though property taxes. The additional funds will provide budget increases for four departments: police, fire, parks, and the justice courts.

City leaders met with the city council during a study session on Tuesday, April 28, to talk about their budget needs.

The largest portion of the increase is for the police department. The mayor’s tentative budget would add three patrol officers, one new school resource officer, one records clerk, and implement a shift differential pay program. In total, the police budget would increase by $730,215.

During the work session, the police department explained that its caseload has increased by 46% since 2021 and is expected to continue rising as the city’s population grows. The need for another clerk aligns with the growing population.

However, the department reduced its request for three additional officers to one, citing that the implementation of AI is helping reduce the time officers spend on reports. AI hasn’t replaced the need for manpower; however, it has helped with turnaround time, getting officers back on patrol faster. The need for an additional school resource officer was resolved when a private entity failed to renew its contract. Lastly, the department asked that the cost of adding three officers be left in the budget to increase officer pay, calling it a trade-off.

The Lehi fire department asked the council to consider increasing its budget more than the mayor proposed. The tentative budget would increase the fire department’s overall budget by 6%, or $621,428. According to the fire department, it would take more than a 20% increase to make wages competitive with neighboring cities.

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In the mayor’s proposed budget, the parks department would get funding for three additional positions to keep on top of maintenance as the city’s park acreage grows. According to the parks department, its full-time employees manage approximately 36 acres per person, while other cities average about 22 acres per person. If the proposed budget is passed, the parks budget would increase by $285,294.

If the tax increase is approved, the impact on an average Lehi homeowner will be $35.52 per year based on a home with a market value of $600,000. The impact on the average commercial property is nearly double, at $64.58 per year, based on a $600,000 property.
A public hearing for the budget is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12.